Page 45 of Hell or High Water

Than glanced back at the girl. “Now, how did I rank as the first stop?” he asked her with a teasing smile that I’d never gotten from him.

He looked pleased to see her and envy crept in from the fact that he was never pleased to see me.

“I need help with something,” she told him. “I’m starting early on Father’s Day this year because what I want to do is going to take some time to put together. And I was hoping you could help me with the Crosby part of it.”

He nodded. “Of course. Tell me what you need, and I’m on it, little momma.”

“Tan!” the boy called out and slapped his head.

“Hawkins,” the girl said, “don’t hit Than.”

Than chuckled. “I can take it. Besides, he’s aggressive. It’s in his blood. Makes him a force.”

The girl rolled her eyes and smiled, then turned to me. “Hello, I’m Halo. I’m sorry I just came barging in and interrupting,” she said, walking up to the counter.

I shook my head. “I, uh…no, it’s fine. I’m—I don’t—”

“This is Montana Carrigan. She’s a friend of mine, and she’s helping out behind the desk. Montana, this is Halo Cash and Hawkins.”

I’d stammered all over my words like an idiot. Wanting to redeem myself, I tried talking again. “It’s nice to meet you, Halo,” I told her.

The friendly smile on her face was genuine, and I might like her if she wasn’t dating Than. That was still yet to be determined.

“You too.” She nodded her head toward Than. “Is this one behaving at the cabin? It’s not big enough for so much personality.”

Okay, so she did know who I was and that we were staying at the cabin together.

“We’ve had our moments,” I replied honestly, and her musical laughter gave me yet another reason to envy her.

“I can imagine. It’s less lively at the house without him there.”

Wait…did they live together? I didn’t respond. Was she why he’d left last night? To go see her? Had he been missing her? Why was this making me so unhappy?

“Than,” she said, her tone sounding scolding, “have you talked with her at all, or do y’all sit quietly in that tiny space? She doesn’t have a clue who I am, does she?”

No, I didn’t. And I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

Than shrugged. “We talk. I think I mentioned you at some point.”

Halo looked back at me. “I’m sorry. Let’s try this introduction thing again. I’m Halo Cash. I’m married to Bane. This one”—she pointed at Than with her thumb—“along with his brother, Ransom, as well as Oz and Forge Savelle—they all live with us,” she said, then gave me an amused look. “That’s still confusing, isn’t it? Okay, so Bane owns a big house, and before I came along, they all lived there, along with Bane’s brother, Crosby. It was a bachelor pad when I first moved in.”

“And you came along, little momma, and shot that right to he—”

“Don’t you dare say that in front of him. I’ve still not gotten him to stop sayinggadamnevery time he drops his toy,” Halo told him, whispering the bad word. “It’s been an adventure, living with all of them.”

The relief that she was married to his friend and this baby wasn’t Than’s sent a smile stretching across my face that was one hundred percent real.

“Wow.” I blew out a breath. “That’s a lot of testosterone.”

She nodded her head. “Yep!”

“She would be lost without us. Hawks has all his uncles to teach him the ways of life.”

Halo scrunched her nose. “That’s what concerns me.”

I laughed, and Than glanced at me, and then a smile spread across his face. My stomach did that wild, fluttery little thing.

“All right, well, we need to be heading to the stables. Bane is waiting on us,” she said.

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